Caitlin Clark enjoys record-equaling night as Indiana Fever beat Washington Mystics in Commissioner’s Cup
By Aimee Lewis, CNN
(CNN) — Caitlin Clark became the second rookie in WNBA history to score seven three-pointers in a game and equaled a career-high 30 points in the league on a night when the stats racked up for the Indiana Fever phenom.
Clark tied Crystal Robinson’s three-point record for a rookie, set in 1999, and also surpassed Tamika Catchings’ record of six, achieved in 2002, to set a new franchise record for the number of three pointers by a rookie in a single match.
Her performance helped Indiana to a 85-83 win over the Washington Mystics in the Commissioner’s Cup Friday night in a game moved to the Capital One Arena to sate the demand to see the No. 1 draft pick in action.
The 22-year-old did not disappoint in front of the 20,333-crowd in D.C. – the largest for a WNBA game since the 2007 Finals – as she also recorded eight rebounds, six assists and a career-high four steals.
She is only the second rookie to score 30-plus points, five-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and five-plus three-pointers in a game.
Clark also became the fastest WNBA player to reach 200 points and 75 assists, according to ESPN, doing so in 12 games and beating Sue Bird’s record of 14 games.
“It felt good to shoot the ball well. I felt like even my misses were right there,” Clark said afterwards. “It was nice to have a night like that, and overall we shot the ball well, 16 made 3s. I still feel there are so many ways I can continue to be better, and that probably goes for our whole team …”
The Fever inflicted an 11th straight loss on the Mystic, who have made the worst start in the franchise’s history.
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell contributed with 16 points, four assists and three steals, while both center Aliyah Boston and forward NaLyssa Smith ended the night with 10 points apiece as the team enjoyed a second Commissioner’s Cup win to go 2-1 in the competition.
Meanwhile, nine-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner made her season debut, scoring 11 points in the Phoenix Mercury’s 81-80 victory over the Minnesota Lynx.
Mercury star Kahleah Copper, who ended the game with 34 points, scored a three pointer with less than a second left in regulation time to complete the comeback victory.
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